Sentry evacuated after homemade bomb is detonated

At 6:30 p.m. July 5 Twin Lakes police were dispatched to Sentry Food Store, 600 North Lake Avenue, for a vandalism complaint.

Upon arrival, the officers discovered that a 13-year-old from McHenry, had detonated a homemade chemical device while inside of the Sentry Food Store, causing an undetermined amount of damage.

A mother and her small child were in the aisle when the device exploded. Fortunately, there was no personal injury to any employee or customers.

Officers immediately requested the store to be evacuated and the Twin Lakes Fire Department and EMS were summoned. Officers checked the interior of the store in an attempt to locate other devices with negative results.

A customer in Sentry who observed the act had followed the boy out of the store and called the police to advise them that he was following the subject, who was on foot. He was subsequently detained by responding officers.

After taking the boy into custody it was discovered that he had placed two similar homemade chemical devices next to the large propane tanks outside of the Sentry Food Store.

The devices were located and the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad responded to the scene to render the devices safe and did so without incident.

This matter has been turned over to the Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office for five Felony charges, to include two counts Reckless Endangering Safety and three counts Possession of Explosive Devices.

The TLPD explained that a homemade chemical “bomb” is an explosive device that can be made easily from volatile household chemicals (e.g., toilet bowl, drain, and driveway cleaners) purchased at a local hardware or grocery store.

When these and other ingredients are combined and shaken in a capped container, the internal gas pressure generated from the chemical reaction causes the container to expand and explode. The subsequent explosion can cause injuries or death to persons in the immediate vicinity of the detonation.


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